Metro-North Railroad officials tour the scene of the train derailment, Saturday, May 18, 2013 in Bridgeport, Conn. Officials described a devastating scene of shattered cars and other damage where two trains packed with rush-hour commuters collided in Connecticut, saying Saturday it's fortunate that no one was killed and that there weren't even more injuries. (AP Photo/Connecticut Post, Christian Abraham) MANDATORY CREDIT

Picture shows joint bars at point of derailment. Photo courtesy George Cahill.

NEW HAVEN -- Seven Metro-North workers who were injured in Friday's derailment are filing a claim with the commuter railroad that could lead to a federal lawsuit.

Both engineers and five conductors are included in the claim, according to attorney George Cahill of Cahill, Goetsch and Perry. He said the claim, filed under the Federal Employees Liability Act, asks for damages for lost wages, pain and suffering and mental anguish.

The law is "what the railroad employees have instead of workers compensation," Cahill said. But "in the railroad industry ... you have to prove that the railroad was liable for causing your injuries."

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Cahill said that once the workers complete medical treatment, the two sides would negotiate a settlement. If one cannot be reached, then a suit would be filed in U.S. District Court, he said.

Metro-North Railroad spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said the railroad would not comment on "pending litigation."

Cahill said the third car on the New Haven-bound train was the one that derailed near the Bridgeport-Fairfield line. That train had come to a stop when the New York-bound train hit the third car. "Both trains were doing about 73 mph" before the crash but the New York-bound engineer had slowed the train to about 50 when the crash occurred.

"He saw the eastbound train ... and everything was fine at that point," Cahill said. Then, "he saw something wrong with the catenary system (the electric wires above the trains) and he immediately put the train into emergency.

"All the dirt and debris blinded him ... He had no idea what he was going to strike because he had no visibility. He was thrown to the floor and his window was blown out," Cahill said.

Cahill, who said he is conducting his own investigation along with the National Transportation Safety Board's inquiry, said he is looking at two possible causes for the derailment: "Either it was the roadbed or the new equipment, the M8s (cars)."

Cahill said that two weeks earlier Metro-North had replaced a joint bar, which connects two sections of rail. "When you connect the running rail, sometimes it's welded. ... In this case a joint bar was used." The joint bar is attached to the side of the rail with bolts. "Those joint bars were broken in half ... and all the track east of that spot was completely torn up," Cahill said.

Cahill added that "they had to double-spike the tie plates," which connect the tie to the underside of the rail.

"After they did this work they had to go back and they had to grind the rail because one rail was higher than the other," Cahill said.

The other possible cause has to do with the wheels on the M8 cars, 200 of which have been put into service since 2011. Cahill said he is concerned that "the wheel sets on this equipment may have been pressed too tight," causing the wheel to ride up on the rail.

Previously, "There was a wheel on an M8 that had a cut in the flange and there were questions whether it was caused by the wheel creeping on the running rail," Cahill said.

The flange is located on its back side of the train wheel and is wider in diameter and much thinner than the tread that rolls on the rail.

"We have an ongoing investigation into this and we certainly hope the NTSB will figure out what happened," Cahill said. "With the NTSB investigation, it somewhat prevents the railroad from doing their own investigation, which is probably a good thing."

The crash injured 72 people and disrupted Metro-North service until Wednesday, when full service was restored. Metro-North is operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority but receives support from the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

Meanwhile Thursday, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., announced today the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will hold a hearing on rail safety following the collision.

Blumenthal will chair the hearing of the Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security Subcommittee at a date in the near future.

"Last week's rail collision was alarming and costly, but could easily have caused catastrophic deaths and injuries but for the investment in new and safer rail cars, and the quick reactions and heroic efforts of the crew, passengers and first responders," he said in a prepared statement. "Safe and reliable rail service is vital to Northeast corridor transit and our regional and national economy. The urgent task now is to identify the cause of this crash and upgrade our infrastructure to prevent such accidents in the future. As a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, I will advocate for renewed and reinvigorated focus our rail safety and reliability, and look forward to this hearing in the near future to highlight the critical importance of immediate, sound investments."